Power-transmission mechanism for automobiles.



No. 733,168. PATENTED 111113.21, 1905.

G. BAKER. POWER TRANSMISSION-MEGHANISM FOR AUTUMOBILES.

APPLICATION IILBD MAY 29, 1903.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

1 1 l l I l t I l I l 1 n f n l l l 1 l I l l l l l l I n I No. 783,168.v PATENTBD PEB. 21, 1905.

` W. C. BAKER. l

POWER TRANSMISSION MEGHANISM POR AUTOMOBILES. APPLIOATION FILED' MAY ze,190s.

2 SHEETS-SHEET Q @AA/f Patented February 21, 1905..

PATENT OEETCE.

WALTER C. BAKER, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

POWER-TRANSMISSION NlECHANlSNI FOR AUTOMOBILES.

SPECIFICATION forming part f Letters Patent N'o. 783,168, dated February21, 1905.

Application iiled May 29,1903. Serial No, 159,266.

the two driving-wheels of an automobile, and

particularly to the casing for inclosing and protecting that mechanism,to the bearings for said mechanism, and to the means whereby some ofsaid bearings may be adjusted without opening the casing.

The invention may be here summarized as consisting in the constructionand combinations of parts shown in the drawings and hereinafterdescribed, as pointed out denitely in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a central sectional plan View. Fig. 2 is asectional side y elevation of the casing, the section being taken in theplane indicated by line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a central longitudinalsection of the c asing, and Fig. 4 is a plan view of the differentialdrum.

The following is a description in detail of the embodiment of theinvention which is illustrated in the drawings, which is the best formof the invention now known to me.

Referring to the parts by letters, A represents a casing having aremovable cap a and having` also a forwardly extended integral tube a'.There are also two laterally-extended tubes B B', which are clampedbetween the casing and its cap and when so clamped form in substance apart of said casing. The line of division between the casing and its capis an oblique diametrical line, substantially as shown in Fig. 2. Thecap and casing are provided with laterally-extended semicylindricalanges or hubs a2, which embrace the tubes B B', and said cap and casingare fastened to# gether, so as to clamp the tubes B B', by means ofsleeves C, which embrace these hubs and are held so embracing' them bybeing screwed Yonto the tubes B. On each one of the tubes B B' is ashoulder 716, which lies inside the casing, in contact with the innerwall thereof. The ends of the sleeves C engage against annular shouldersa" on said casing, wherefore when these collars are screwed up they notonly hold the two parts ofthe casing together, but they also iix thepositions of the tubes B B' relative to the casing. The cap is dividedfrom the casing obliquely, as shown, so that the forwardly-extendedtubular member a' remains intact; but the line of division between thecap and casing is made as near horizontal as possible under thecircumstances, so that there is left in the casing what may be termed apocket7 adapted for the reception of a suitable quantity of oil, inwhich some of the movable parts operate, and thereby splash andotherwise carry oil to the other relatively movable parts or bearings.The casing is to be secured to the automobile-body through the tubes BB', which are intended to be fastened thereto through suitable springs,which it has not been thought necessary to show.

The axle is made of two alined sections D and D', which extend throughthe tubes B B'. To the inner end of each of these axle-sections withinthe casing the bevel-gears Z are rigidly.connected, or they may beformed or welded thereon, as shown in the drawings. The differentialdrum E is mounted axially with respect to these axle-sections on theends of the tubes B B' which project into the casing. This drum ishollow, and the inner ends of the axle-sections, which are rotatablytted in and supported by the hubs of said drum, project into vthe drum,and the gears Z are entirely surrounded by it. Thisdrum on each side isprovided with a ball-bearing cup e Jfor cooperation with a cone b, whichis mounted upon the inner end of one of the tubes B B' and is movablelengthwise thereon for the purpose of adjustment. This adjustment iseffected by means of a pinion-nut F, which is screwed onto the inner endof the tube B into contact with this cone. This nut has externalgear-teeth with which a pinion b engages, this pinion being attached tothe inner end of a shaft H, which is rotatably mounted in the casing andhas an end projecting outside otl said IOO casing, which end is squaredfor the application of a key-wrench, whereby the same may be turned. Byturning this shaft the pinionnut is caused to' travel lengthwise of thetube B, thereby moving or permitting the movement of the cone b, andthis adjusts theY bearings for the balls J. This construction is to befound on both sides of the casing. This particular manner of mountingthe differential drum and of adjusting its bearings -is not a part of myinvention or essential thereto. It is only necessary that said drumshall be mounted axially with respect to the axle-sections. Thesepinions are rotatively mounted on radial studs K, which are so connectedwith the differential drum E that they must share its rotary motion. Inthe construction shown the beveled pinions I, of which three areI shown,are in mesh with both of the beveled gears d. The inner ends of thestuds K arev all secured in a ring O, located between the gears d d inaxial alinement therewith. The outer ends of these studs K engage withthe differential drum E, whereby they are carried by said drum as itrotates. The outer ends of these studs are squared and enter transverseslots e3 in the differential drum. Therefore these studs, the pinionsmounted thereon, and the ring O, in which the inner ends of the studsare secured, are all capable of moving a short distance in eitherdirection lengthwise of the axles, although they are compelled, asbefore stated, to travel around with the differential drum. Flanges 7con the studs K engage with the drum, and thereby the ring O is held inaxial vpositionrelative to y the axles D D.

One of the axles, D, is hollow of necessity, and the other one, D, ispreferably hollow. A bar N, which is secured to the axle D, passesentirely through the axle D', and its projecting outer end is threaded.Embracing the un-V threaded portion of this projecting en d is abearing-ring P, which abuts the end of the axle D', and another ring, P,also embraces this unthreaded projecting portion of said rod, and in itsinner face is an annular .groove p3.

4Antifriction-balls Q are placed in this groove between these two rings,thereby forming an antifriction thrust-bearing. A cap-nut P2 screws uponthe threaded end of this rod against the ring P, and as it is screwedonto this rod it acts to push the axle D toward the center and throughthe rod N to draw the axle 'D toward the center, thus bringing thebeveled gears Z nearer together. Thus the position of these two axlesmay beadj usted so that they will mosteffectively engage with thepinions I, and this same movement also adjusts the bearings for theouter end of both axlesections, as will presently appear. The outer endsof these axle-sections rotate in ball-bearings, the cups 3 of which aresecured upon the outer bell-shaped ends of the tubes'B B, while thecones d are movable upon the axle.

The hubs of the wheels are secured upon the outer ends of the axles bymeans of tongues z,

which permit the hubs to move lengthwise on presently described. Theinner ends of these` wheel-hubs abut against the cones CZ last referredto.,

A portion of the axle D-as, for example, a plug Z8 rigidly secured inits end-is screwthreaded.` A flanged collar V is movably mounted uponthis portion of this end of the axle, and a cap-nutre screws on the endof the axle against this flanged collar, and the inner end of the angedcollar engages with a shoulder o'n the wheel-hub z5, which is featheredto said axle-section. j

The bearings in the outer end of both of the tubesBB will be adjustedsimultaneously by the operation of the nut d, because when this nutisscrewed on it moves the adjacent wheelhub inward on the axle-section Dand at the same time draws the said axle-section outward through saidwheel-hub. This latter movement is transmitted to the axle-section Dthrough the rod N, and this inward movement of the axle-section D causesa slight movement of the associated wheel-hub toward the ball-bearing inthe outer end of the associated tube B. The adjustment of theseball-bearings in the manner referred to causes, therefore, a bodilymovement of both axle-sections toward one side of the vehicle.

The manipulation of the nut P2, which draws the two axle-sectionstogether, likewise tightens these same bearings, unless one firstloosens up the nut e.

By employing one or both of the described means of adjusting thesebearings one may not only properly adjust them, but may bring both gearsCZ into the proper relationship to the'gears I. It is not, however,necessary to make this latter adjustment with the same degree ofprecision if the studs K are automatically movable lengthwise of theaxle, as they are in the precise construction shown.

W represents the rear section of the longitudinal driving-shaft, whichpasses throughl the forwardly-extended member a of the casing. It has abeveled gearw on its end within the casing, which meshes with a beveledgear @5, secured to the differential drum. A ball-bearing' on the innerend of this shaft is provided by means of a cone Q02 on the shaft and acup a, secured to the casing. A similar cup a7 is secured in the outerend of this forwardly-extended member of the casing, and a cone w3,loose upon the shaft' W, furnishes aball-bearing for the outer endthereof, and both bearings are adjusted by a nut w", which screws uponthe shaft against said cone w3.

HavingV described my invention, I claim--` IOO 1. A casing for thepower-transmitting mechanism 'of an automobile, consisting of acasing-body, a cap which is separable from the body in a diametricalplane, means for fastening said body and cap together, and two alinedtubes clamped between said body and cap and extending laterally inopposite directions therefrom, substantially as specified.

2. A casing, for the power-transmitting mechanism of an automobile,consisting of a casing-body, and a cap which is separable from thecasing-body in a diametrical plane, said casing-bod y and cap havingexternal semicylindrical hubs, two laterally-extended tubes clampedbetween said hubs, sleeves embracing said hubs to hold the cap andcasing together, and means for holding said sleeves in place,substantially as specified.

3. A casing for the powertransmitting mechanism of an automobileconsisting of a casing-body,and acap which is separable from said bodyin a diametrical plane, said casing and cap having externalsemicylindrical hubs, two laterally-extended tubes clamped between saidhubs, and sleeves screwed upon said tubes and embracing said hubs,substantially as specified.

4. A casing for the power transmitting mechanism of an automobileconsisting of a casing-body, and a cap which is separable from said bodyin a diametrical plane, said casing and cap having externalsemicylindrical hubs, two laterally-extended tubes clamped between saidhubs, each having a shoulder lwithin said casing, and sleeves screwedupon said tubes and embracing said hubs and engaging with shouldersthereon, whereby said tubes are drawn and held in positions where theshoulders thereon engage the inner walls of said casing.

5. A casing for the power transmitting mechanism of an automobileconsisting of a casing-body having a forwardlyextended tube and a capwhich is separable from the casingbody in an oblique diametrical plane,said casing-body and cap having external semicylindrical hubs, twolaterally extended tubes clamped between said hubs, sleeves embracingsaid hubs to hold the cap and casing together, and means vi'or holdingsaid sleeves in place, substantially as specified.

6. In an automobile, the combination oi' a' casing consisting of acasing-body havinga i'orwardly-extended tube, and a cap which isseparable from said body in an oblique diametrical plane, saidcasing-body and cap have external semicylindrical hubs, twolaterally-extending tubes clamped between said hu bs, sleeves embracingsaid hubs to hold the cap and casing together, independently rotatableaxle sections extending through the laterally-extending tubes,differential mechanism mounted in the casing for rotating saidaxle-sections, and a driving-shaft, which is extended through andmounted in the forwardly-extended tube, for

rotating said ditferential mechanism, substantially as specified.

7. In an automobile, the combination of a casing having a removable capand two laterally-extending tubes, a differential drum rotatably mountedon bearings rigid with and projecting into said casing, twoaxle-sections independently mounted in said tubes and in thedifferential drum, bevel-gears secured to the inner ends ot' saidaxle-sections, bevel-pinions mounted on said differential drum and lyingbetween and engaging with the bevel-gears.

referred to, and means for rotating said dif- Jr'erential drum,substantially as specified.

8. In an automobile, the combination oi a casing having a removable capand two laterally-extended tubes which are provided with ball-bearingsin their outer ends, a differential drum rotatably mounted on the endsof said tubes within said casing, two axle-sections passing through saidtubes and rotatably mounted at their inner ends in the ends of saiddrum, cones adjustable upon said axle-sections and balls interposedbetween said cones and the cups in the ends oi' said tubes, differentialmechanism intermediate of said drum and axlesections, and means forrotating said drum, substantially as specified.

9. In an automobile, the combination of two alined separatedbearing-cups and means for holding them in fixed relationship to eachother, two alined axle-sections, one oi' which is tubular and whichpasses through said bearing-cups respectively, cones movably mountedupon said axle-sections near their outer ends for cooperation with saidcups, wheels splined respectively to said axle-sections and engagingwith said cones, means for imparting properly-diiferentiated rotativemotion to said axlesections, a rod extending entirely through thetubular axle-section and attached to the other axle-section, bearingsfor the adjacent ends of said axle-sections, a ball-bearing ringembracing said rod and bearing against the end of the tubularaxle-section, another ball-bearing ring embracing said rod, a set ofballs between said rings, and a nut screwing onto said rod against theouter bearing-ring.

10. In an automobile, the combination oi' a casing having twolaterally-extended tubes, a differential drum rotatively mounted in saidcasing, two axle-sections one oil which is tubular, extending throughthe said tubes, respectively, and independently rotatable inball-bearings in the outer ends of said tube concentric with thebearings of the drum, and rotatably mounted at their inner ends in saiddrum, a rod extending entirely through the tubular axle-section andattached to the other axle-section, a ball-bearing ring on said rod incontact with the end of the tubular axlesection, another ball-bearingring on said rod, aset of balls between said rings, and a nut screwingonto said rod, against the outside ring, bevel-gears attached to theinner end of IOO the axle-sections, bevel-gears mounted on the drumbetween and in mesh with the bevelgears on the axle-sections, and meansfor rotating said drum, substantially as specilied.

- 1l. In an automobile, a casing having two laterally-extended tubes, anaxle composed of two independent sections rotatably mounted in saidtubes respectively, one of said axlesections being tubular, a rodsecured to the other axlesection and extending entirely through thetubular section, means mounted on the outer end of this rod for movingsaid rod and tubular section relative to each other, a thrust-bearinginterposed between said tubular section and rod, bevel-gears secured tothe inner ends of said axle-section, a differential drum axially mountedwith respect to said axle-sections, and bevel-gears mounted on the drumand lying between and in mesh with the bevel-gears on the axle-sections,substantially as specified.

casing having two laterally-extended' tubes provided with ball-cups intheir outer ends,

two independently-rotatable axle sections,

lconnections between them which p'ermits their independent rotation butprevents their separation, a cone on one axle-section for coperationwith the adjacent cup, a cone movable on the other axle-section forcooperation with the adjacent cup, a wheel-hub on said axlesectionhaving a tongue-and-groove connection therewith, a collar on saidaxle-section abutting said wheel-hub, and a nut screwed onto saidsection against said collar, substantially as speciiied.

14. lIn combination, a casing comprising a body having aforwardly-extended tube and two laterally-extended tubes and a cap whichis separable from the body in an oblique downwardly and rearwardlyextended diametrical plane, a driving-shaft extending into the casingthroughv said forwardly-extended tube, two axle-sections extending intothe casing respectively through the laterally-extended tubes, anddifferential power transmission mechanism in said casing and adapted totransmit properly-differentiated movement from the driving-shaft to theaxle-sections, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in the presence oftwo witnesses.

WALTER C. BAKER.

Witnesses:

N. S. WRIGHT, E. L. THURsToN.

